Perry to make 1st trip to Iowa since indictment

Gov. Rick Perry is heading back to Iowa on Tuesday, his first trip there since a Travis County grand jury indicted him.

AUSTIN — Gov. Rick Perry is slated to return to Iowa on Tuesday to stump for a congressional candidate, his first trip to the early-voting state since an indictment cast uncertainty on his political future.

Perry will join Rod Blum, the Republican nominee for the Hawkeye State’s 1st district, on the campaign trail for four stops in Cedar Rapids and Dubuque, Blum’s campaign announced Thursday. Their itinerary includes a roundtable discussion about health care and a tour of a manufacturing plant.

Blum spokesman Keegan Conway said his boss has no qualms about appearing with a governor facing charges that he abused his official capacity and coerced a public servant.

“Rod is proud to be on the campaign trail with Governor Perry and sees this indictment as a politically motivated move designed to take attention away from the great job Governor Perry is doing in Texas,” Conway said in a statement.

In a news release, Perry praised Blum as a “common sense small businessman who provides a clear contrast to his liberal opponent.” Blum is vying against Democratic state Rep. Pat Murphy to replace U.S. Rep. Bruce Braley, who’s running for U.S. Senate.

Perry has been busy with out-of-state travel since the Aug. 15 indictment, which stems from his threat to veto funding for the state’s Public Integrity Unit unless Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg resigned. Over the past week alone, Perry has delivered a speech on immigration at a think tank in Washington, D.C., met with business leaders in New Hampshire and cheered on Texas A&M in its season opener against the University of South Carolina in Columbia.